


Takko, Merl, & Mags

by Iced_Coffee



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Multi, here there be gerblins
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-27
Updated: 2019-04-30
Packaged: 2020-02-07 10:19:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18618643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iced_Coffee/pseuds/Iced_Coffee
Summary: A podcast can be watched at any time with no change to its contents.In practice, it's not that simple.(Also known as The Wizard, The Warrior, & The Cleric.)





	1. Herald

**Author's Note:**

> Yes I know the names are 'Wrong,' it is done on purpose.
> 
> This is not the same story or characters that are presented in canon material, you'd do best to remember that. 
> 
> (Tags will be updated as this work progresses, I'd avoid looking at them for spoilers. I imagine many of you already know most of the plot, but it will not stay on the same path for long.)

The dwarf spoke of riches, rubies brighter than campfire, and gold piled to mountains. A life in luxury was not one any of them had every experienced, but the dwarf’s words were unwavering. Still, Takko scoffed, unwilling to even consider the possibility, ‘The last job you’ll ever need,’ sounded too well rehearsed. In the past it was unlikely they would even consider taking his job, if not for their desperate need for funds. Still Takko was not happy in the slightest. 

He sat facing away from them, perched on the very edge of their booth, leaning openly against Mags as he squished Merl against the wall. They all sat together of course, not willing to be seperated in such an unpredictable environment. Takko wasn’t exactly inclined to sit next to another he barely knew, distant ‘cousin’ or not. 

The three hadn’t known each other for very long, but since the first meeting, they felt strangely draw to one another. Takko didn’t trust easily, but those two were let into his fold faster than he felt comfortable, but nonetheless, he trusted them entirely. They understood the strange habits and reassured in their own discreet way. Merl didn’t mind when Takko lent against him, and Mags was glad to be his shield. They all protected one another, and trusted in a way unlike any other he’s trusted before. Takko knew he’d have to trust Merl on this one, it was his cousin after all. Hopefully they would get paid this time. 

Takko shifted his focus to the glass on the table beside him. He didn’t particularly enjoy cider, but it was all there was to drink, as bitter and unappetizing it was he took a sip. Just as bad as he expected, how can Mags drink this stuff, let alone enjoy it? Takko could feel his eyelids pulling shut, the mildly uncomfortable seating arrangement was the only thing keeping him awake. He was so desperately bored waiting for Gundred and Merl to catch up, this nonsensical small talk was going to be the death of him. He tuned in to their conversation, and really considered interrupting their conversation about the new mine nearby. Glancing to Mags’ increasing collection of empty mugs, Takko knew he felt the same. Ugh. He not-so-gently nudged Mags in the ribs, and jerked his head towards Gundred. Takko felt the shift in posture of Mags as he downed the last of Takko’s cider, before waiting for a lull as to interject. Maybe Takko would get some sleep before morning after all. 

Mags cleared his throat, “I trust you have spoke enough of pleasantries, let’s get down to business.” Although Merl gave them a soured look, Takko was quite glad. Content in finally knowing what this business is all about, it better pay well.

“I propose an adventure of sorts,” Oh Omec, not this nonsense again. “But first, I ask you to escort a supply wagon to Phadalin.” 

He couldn’t help himself, quietly muttering under his breath “Excellent.”

Gundred kept speaking as if Takko hadn’t spoke at all, “I am not expecting bandits, but one can never be too safe.” He turned to Merl, “It is more for them-” he jerked a finger towards Mags and Takko, “Than it is you cousin.” 

Takko was not happy with that in the slightest, but as he opened his mouth to voice his displeasure, Mags subtly pressed his side further into Takko. Ah, he wasn’t the only one displeased. 

Merl answered for them, “We will only do this errand of yours, if the pay is guaranteed.” He rested his hands on the table and tilted forwards to meet Gundred’s eyes. 

“There will be no favors in these hard times, whether you are kin or not.” 

Gundred gave a dismissive wave of his hand, “Of course Merle, I expect no less from any I ask.”

And so it was settled. Gundred will ride ahead with a man named Bair, and they will reconvene at Phadalin for their pay, and possible extension of their service. They depart at dawn, it seemed Takko wouldn’t be getting a full night’s sleep after all.


	2. Prepare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting ready.
> 
> (On a side note, does anyone know how to indent in HTML? I gave up and just used spaces, but it'd be nice to know so I don't Ctrl + V for each paragraph. Thanks in advance)

Soon after the details of the trip were finalized, Merl, Mags, and Takko stumbled out into the night. Their inn wasn’t far, but the twisting streets had them quite confused and nearly all hope was lost until Mags spotted the dark street sign tucked away in a side street. By the time they stepped into their room, Takko was terribly exhausted. It seemed like he had slept only minutes before Merl was shaking him awake. 

 

He wasn’t a bad sight to wake up to, the dawn light streaming through the window onto Merl’s chiseled face. Takko opening his eyes to a gentle golden haze, those warm eyes fixed on him, as he was taken further from slumber with each passing second. Takko took one quick glance away from Merl, over at the cluttered mess engulfing the room before turning and burrowing himself back under the covers. 

 

      “Oh no you don’t!”

 

A hand found his ankle and began to pull, until he collapsed in a pile of blankets and limbs on the floor. Damn.

 

      “Alright, Alright, I’m up.” Takko sat up and began to detangle himself from the bedsheets, “Do we have to leave this early every time?”

 

  Merl stepped back, busying himself with their bags, “Daylight Takko, it’s not safe to travel at night, even with a caravan.”

 

Takko stood, shoving the pile of bedding back onto the bed before digging through his own bag for clothes. He decided to wear his slightly more comfortable set, as most of the day would be spent in the back of a cart, perhaps he could doze while Merl kept watch. As if Merl knew Takko’s choice, he had donned his usual attire, suited for quick movement if something were to happen before Takko react. Takko, like Merl and Mags, were all lucky enough to have a change of clothes besides their nightclothes, let alone a practical well-fitting one. Most travelers they had come across only had one set of commoner’s robes, and a spare shirt if the other became completely unwearable. A notable encounters with a caravan family had shown a couple with armour, and another half-dozen with tanned leather, but they were the minority by far. 

 

Shaking his mind out of daydreams of wardrobes of shining armour, Takko raised his arms over his head and stretched until his body was looser and ready to sit in a caravan for hours on end. The stretch on his muscles was pleasant enough to work a deep sigh out of him, and he turned heading towards the washing room to freshen up before they headed out.

  
  


As Takko disappeared into the side room, Merl carefully picked through Takko’s bag, his and Mags had already been stocked, but Takko tended to forget something important with each stay at an inn. Not one of them held anything of significant value, besides Mags’ pocket knife, and so they packed for emergencies. Cram, Dried fruit, jerky, water canteens, twine, flint, and scraps of cloths for wounds. They weren’t unexperienced by any means, nor paranoid, but it didn’t hurt to have snacks on the road incase someone got hungry, or if they got stranded without provisions.

 

Merl glanced out the window, seeing the sun barely over the horizon and hefted the two packed knapsacks against the bed near the entryway. Hopefully Mags would be back soon, single room they had rented for the last week was far too small for the three of them. It was big enough for two moderate beds and an attached washing area, but left little room to move about the space. It wasn’t the cramped quarters that had Merl glad they were finally leaving; it was the dreadful orange tint in the walls and the dark floorboards. Whomever designed this place had never stepped into one of the disgustingly tacky rooms, or they must have had their colors messed beyond repair. Either way, it was a horrific design and led Merl to have many pleasant dreams of burning the place down to cinders. He strode to the window to watch for Mags, he would like to leave as soon as possible. 

 

Takko finally emerged from the washing, eyes bright and far more awake than he had been before. Nothing to wake you up like a freezing cloth to the face, got the blood pumping better than anything else. His eyes centered on his freshly packed bag and he shot Merl a grateful look. He had always been terrible at organizing his pack, usually asking Mags to double check his provisions before they set off, but he had left earlier to obtain the ox-led caravan early in the morn. It left Takko with a pleasant swell of emotion in his chest; if Merl hadn’t stepped in to ensure an easy departure, Mags probably would have spent another day fretting over their general plan. It was quite possible that Merl just felt bad, and was apologizing in his own way for boring them as he caught up with his cousin for hours. Takko knew he would if it was himself. 

 

At least they had a job, funds were growing smaller with each day spent with only odd-jobs to sustain them. The limited errands posted in Craig’s shop barely gave them enough to pay for the Inn, and they had run out of them after a few days. There was only so much a close-knit town could do to sustain them; they would have been kicked out in less than a fortnight if they hadn’t found the escort job when they did. It was only a bonus that they would end in Phadalin when they departed from Gundred’s company.

 

      “He’s here.” Merl spoke from his post at the window, interrupting Takko’s train of thought. 

 

      “Let’s go.” Takko slung his pack onto his shoulders, pulling the door open for Merl. As Merl stepped ahead of him, Takko hesitated in following. He turned, taking in one last look at the room they lived in for the last week, before closing the door on the cramped space. They wandered down the hallway, as charming as the rest of the Inn, with bright disgusting green on the walls, and hideous mismatched floorboards.

 

      “I think I’m going to miss this place.” He stated aloud, boots clunking down the hall, wondering if he’ll see it again.

 

      “I certainly won’t,” he grimaced, “Have you seen the walls?”

 

      Takko snickered, “It’s certainly…colorful.”

 

      “That’s one way to put it.”


	3. Brush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unexpected encounter.

After Takko got to a more comfortable temperature, the ride wasn’t quite as terrible as he thought it’d be. Under the cover of trees, the wind had died down dramatically, leaving only a slight rustle of leaves in its place. The gentle pulling of the cart was better than any lullaby, swaying peacefully, with the only sound that of oxen and creaking wood. With the addition of the sun, it made for a rather serene, if not chilly, peaceful day, and that meant a perfect time to nap. 

With Takko slumbering away, and Merl watching the trail behind them, it was Mags who saw it. A brisk walk away from them, a mound resting on the road; unmoving and a deep brown. He slowly brought the cart to a halt, alerting Merl in the process, who then carefully shook Takko awake, quietly shushing him as he went to protest. 

Mags turned to them as they pulled themselves up towards the front of the wagon. “There’s something on the road.” Despite the distance he was quiet. 

“I thought it was too quiet…” Merl muttered under his breath.

Takko peered over the edge of the wagon, “I think that’s a horse,” he paled, “-Or two, not alive, I can tell you that.”

“See anything else?”

Takko squinted, “No-” 

“Look next to it,” Merl reached up, pointing a finger, “Are those bushes moving or is that just me?”

“Oh shit.” 

A few paces away from the heap in the road, a Gerblin stepped out of the dense foliage, There was no signal it had spotted them or were headed their way, but Merl, and Mags still readied their weapons, not knowing quite how many were there. Merl hopped onto the ground to look out from behind the oxen, running his hands down their backs to keep them calm. All the while, Takko lunged to his seat, digging through his bag for his armour, and spellbook. Despite the fact he probably should have been wearing it the entire time, it really wasn’t very comfortable, he decided to opt out of it for a few hours to sleep. Good thing Mags spotted the horses before they were jumped by a group of Gerblins. 

Takko slipped his armour clumsily over his clothing, unnerved by the silence surrounding him; it was far too quiet for his tastes. It was a wonder as to how he didn’t notice it before, as obvious as it was in a usually noisy forest. As he flipped through his book, the sound of casting alerted him; a soft crackling with the potent smell of charcoal filling the air. Takko peeks his head out once again, pulling himself up to the driving seat, and sees a smouldering Gerblin slowly heading towards the cart. 

Despite its flesh nearly bubbling off it’s bones, it still staggered forwards towards its goal. Takko turns another page in his book, before finding the spell he needed, Ray of Frost. A baked Gerblin is the best Gerblin, but Takko prefers them frozen rather than fresh. The spell fired off in a burst of euphoria, Takko felt the light drain on his stores, condensing into a icy streak that chilled Takko more than the wind from that morning. It nearly left him shivering again, but the warm sensation of magic allowed him to enjoy the sight of a frozen Gerblin toppling to the ground in nice heated comfort. 

From behind the charging Gerblin, hidden slightly by its kin’s form, was another. He was slower than his sibling, lumbering forward, with a clumsy gait perched on unsteady feet. Takko could not cast again so soon, his magic still calming within him; it would be incredibly dangerous to even attempt calling it forwards to prepare to mold it. With a quick glance towards Merl, he knew it was the same for him, and a sudden charge would startle the oxen, especially with how unhappy they were, being so close to the prickling sensation of potent magic. 

“Go.” Slightly panicked, but otherwise steady, Takko nodded at Mags. 

And the stupid impulsive idiot he was, decided to jump off the cart, holding his axe aloft, and bring it down with an incredible amount of force. It left the Gerblin nearly split in two, its insides oozing outwards and fermenting the air with a gross meaty smell.

Takko wrinkles his nose at the offending smell, “Was that really necessary?”

“Yes.” Despite being covered in Gerblin guts, Mags was surprisingly cheerful.

Takko slipped off the caravan heading to collect some sweet, sweet loot, but Merl’s voice stopped him, “Wait. There’s another.”

Sure enough a final Gerblin stepped out of the bush, fumbling with a short bow. This one was nearly as close as the last, but seem to only carry a ranged weapon and was unfamiliar with it. It awkwardly reached into its pocket, and something sparked, once, twice, and the arrow was lit. Shit. Merl reached for his hand axe, strapped onto his side, but before he could aim and throw, and arrow shot passed him and imprinted itself in the canopy. The fire startled the oxen, who tore out of their harnesses, and darted off into the woods. Double Shit. The Gerblin quickly turned as if to run while they were distracted, only to be hit square in the neck by Merl’s axe. It tumbled down, falling like a freshly chopped tree. Collectively, they breathed a sigh of relief.

“See any more?” Mags voiced, glancing over at the trees around them.

“I think we’re clear,” Merl strode over and pulled his handaxe from the dead gerblin. “Any sign of the oxen?”

 

“Guys I think we have a bigger problem.” Takko waved them over to the caravan. 

The fire that had caught the canopy had burnt a giant hole in the side of it. On closer examination, the fire had spread to some of the inner belongings; Gundred’s stuff that he hired them to move was now mostly charred and did not resemble anything usable in the slightest. As the oxen fled, they had unhinged one of the wheels, leaving the cart listing over to one side. 

“What are we going to tell Gundred?” Takko pulled his bag from the wreckage, thankfully untouched by the flame.

They methodically sorted through the burnt luggage, taking all that could be useful, as well as searching the dead gerblins for weapons and gold. Surprisingly they came up little usable beyond their packs. A shortbow looted and a few gold pieces was all the treasure they could find. 

“Let’s not worry about that now, come look at this.” Merl called over from the gerblin he had fallen with his axe, standing close to the fallen horses.

They grouped together in front of the scene. On first glance, the horses were full of strange holes, as if made from a barbed dagger. As they got closer, it was clear the horses had been shot with arrows, and then someone had gone back to collect them. Around the horses were a few torn bags, lying strew about as if someone had hastily gone through them. Takko set himself to rummage through the goods lying about, as did Merl. Mags took it upon himself to examine the horses, but as he laid a hand on the horses, he was met with lukewarm skin. This did not happen long ago. 

“It’s still warm. That wasn’t the scouting team.” As Mags calls out his observations, Takko pulls out a cylindrical container. It was empty, but it looked strangely familiar. 

“I’ve seen this before.” 

“Isn’t that Gundred’s?” Merl said from beside him, glancing over at Takko’s findings.

“It must be.” 

Takko pulled a blue cloak from underneath a bush; Gundred’s.

“Look.” Mags stepped away, gesturing towards a trampled path in the brush. 

It looked as if someone had pulled something through the underbrush, leaving a very visible pathway.

Takko grumbled, “Do we have to?” 

“We haven’t gotten paid yet,” Merl responded, picking up his bag once again. 

“We don’t have a lot to lose.” Mags fiddled with his new shortbow, “I gotta test this out too.”


End file.
